Change of Status

If you experience a major life event or change in your personal or work life (known as a Qualifying Change of Status or Qualifying Life Event), your benefits may need to change as well.

You have 31 days from the date of a qualified change of status event to complete changes to your benefits that are consistent with that event. If you do not make your eligible changes during the 31-day status change period (60 days for changes related to CHIP eligibility), your changes cannot be made until the next Annual Enrollment in July, to be effective at the start of the new plan year on the following September 1.

Changes may be requested using My UT Benefits. Please visit our "Managing Your UT Benefits" page for login links and other resources.

Please Note: You may need to provide supporting documentation of the qualifying change of status such as marriage or birth certificates; proof of gain, loss, or significant change of other coverage; or other relevant official documents. Appropriate documentation of eligibility is required for any new dependent being added to coverage. Required documents may be uploaded directly for review and approval using My UT Benefits. Evidence of Insurability (EOI) may also apply for certain changes. This can be completed using My UT Benefits as well.

If you are not able to successfully request your changes and complete any applicable required EOI and documentation online using My UT Benefits or if you need additional assistance understanding what specific changes are allowed in your situation, you may contact your institution HR/Benefits Office for additional assistance.

The list below includes common examples of qualified Change of Status events:

  • marriage, divorce, annulment, or spouse’s death;
  • birth, adoption, medical child-support order, or dependent’s death;
  • significant change in residence if the change affects you or your dependents’ current plan eligibility;
  • change of job status affecting eligibility (e.g. for employees: from non-benefits eligible part-time to full-time, starting or ending employment, starting or returning from FMLA, or other);
  • change in dependent’s eligibility (e.g., reaching age 26 or gaining or losing eligibility for any other reason); or
  • significant change in coverage or cost of other benefit plans available to you and your family.

An employee or retired employee:

  • whose dependent loses insurance coverage under the Medicaid or CHIP program as a result of loss of eligibility of either the employee or the dependent; or
  • whose dependent becomes eligible for a premium assistance subsidy under Medicaid or CHIP

may enroll this dependent in the basic coverage under UT Benefits, as long as the dependent meets all other UT eligibility requirements and is enrolled within 60 days from the date of the applicable event. If enrollment of the dependent is conditioned on enrollment of the employee/retired employee, the employee/retired employee will also be eligible to enroll.